QuoteReplyTopic: Franco Battiato : where do I begin ? Posted: June 24 2010 at 16:43

Hi all,

I am into Franco Battiato recently (easily the most important artist in the RPI section of PA). I love his pop songs (really, great music), his classical music albums and his "fleurs" trilogy. I am less impressed by his most experimental works of the seventies, but if you could give me some recommendations I would be more than happy to dig further his "progressive" side (I only know 'juke box' of this era).

Micky will post as soon as possible to give you his own recommendations. In the meantime, I second Sulle Corde di Aries (you can read our reviews if you like), and also Pollution, his second album. Fetus is not on the same level, at least in my own opinion.

Sorry I can't help Lucas, I've only just begun my Battiato journey myself. Great stuff, though not my favorite RPI. You should post your question in the Appreciation thread, more of the RPI fanatics might spot it there.

"da oriente a occidente" : it has a strong medieval feel to it and I love the hypnotic voice of Battiato (reminds me a lot of Roy Harper's echoed voice).

The saxophone at the end of "aria di revoluzione" is reminiscent of some soft machine works or Ian Anderson's subtle play on 'a passion play'. Some discreet percussions and spoken words (in german (!?!)) and electronics add for some spacey/psychedelic atmosphere.

but for sure the most original of all italian artists listed in PA...Experimental, prog, pop, classical music : I am not an expert in RPI but I am practically sure that no other artist exploited so many different genres.

He's certainly one of the greats, but there are many RPI artists in his league in terms of cross contaminations. I'm personally not interested in naming "the best" or the "most important" artist in any genre as it is such a subjective thing. Sorrenti, Battisti, Rocchi, Banco, QVL, RRR, to name a couple....tons of RPI artists skillfully went into various styles for better or worse.

your best bet lucas is to read the reviews.. both Andrea P and I have reviewed a great many of his albums at the very least. With an artist of such variety and dissimilar albums... recommendations don't really do the trick.. they are simply what me or the next guy likes. With the review you can find what sounds good to you..stylistically. I know my reviews tried to touch less on 'likes' and more about what you are getting in sound and style.

Given the time and place, this is nice stuff. I would suggest that it is more in the line of experimental than it is meant to be "musical" or try to compete with ideas about music at all.

There is a lot of really nice stuff in just about any album!

It might not go over well today, specially for people that play rap and pound beats and then listen to metal and consider it progressive. Stuff like this would be, by comparison a lot more artistic and in left field and not for every listener at all!

There are a lot of out in left and right field folks and artists all over Europe and those days (the 70's) they really had a nice run .. until the English/American music business told all these bands to go to heck since they only made a dime, not a dollar!

... none of the hits, none of the time ... now you know what the art is all about! www.pedrosena.com

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot create polls in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum